Income and Work

August 22, 2025 by Kelly Allen
Jobs Data Shows Corporate-first Strategy is Failing

West Virginia Watch - The West Virginia Chamber of Commerce has garnered much media and lawmaker attention recently with a press release decrying the state’s jobs numbers. While they are right that the numbers are lackluster, West Virginia’s flagging economic landscape is not a recent phenomenon.  Read the full op-ed. West Virginia had the ninth worst job…

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August 11, 2025 by WVCBP
DOGE Cuts Costing W.Va. Money

West Virginia Public Broadcasting - West Virginia receives more federal funding than it sends to D.C. in taxes. But recent Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cuts, and budget and rescission efforts, are hurting the state’s bottom line. Read the full article. Since January, West Virginia has lost at least 400 federal jobs and more than $330 million in…

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August 8, 2025 by WVCBP
$330 Million and 400 Jobs Cut from West Virginia Due to DOGE

WVVA - The West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy reports that $330 million and 400 jobs have been cut in the mountain state at the hands of the Department of Government Efficiency. Read the full article. “These reductions are already affecting public services and programs West Virginians rely on and are eliminating jobs in…

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August 6, 2025 by Sean O'Leary
Gazette-Mail Editorial: Shooting the Messenger and Fudging the Numbers

Charleston Gazette-Mail - Longtime readers might remember when West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, members of his administration and state Republican leadership were over the moon about the state being ranked No. 1 in the nation for personal income growth in the first quarter of 2019. Read the full article. Justice, now a Republican U.S. senator,…

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July 17, 2025 by Kelly Allen
Proposed 93% Federal Budget Cut Would Impact W.Va. Economic Success

Times West Virginian, Beckley Register-Herald, Yahoo News - President Donald Trump seeks a 93% funding cut to a quasi-federal government agency responsible for promoting economic development and community building in Appalachia. Read the full article. West Virginia is the sole state that falls entirely within the geographical region served by the Appalachian Regional Commission. “ARC…

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July 12, 2025 by Sean O'Leary
These are America’s 10 Weakest State Economies Most at Risk in a Recession

CNBC - The odds of a recession may be falling, but states appear to be betting that corporate leaders are still nervous. Read the full article. An analysis of all 50 states’ economic development marketing efforts — part of CNBC’s annual America’s Top States for Business study — finds that a strong economy is the most frequently…

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June 27, 2025 by WVCBP
W.Va. Lost More Jobs Than Any Other State Last Year, Labor Bureau Says

West Virginia Public Broadcasting - Between May 2024 and May 2025, West Virginia experienced the biggest decrease in non-farm employment in the United States, according to new data from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. Read the full article. In May 2024, roughly 726,400 full-time jobs were held within West Virginia, according to the employment figures…

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June 26, 2025 by WVCBP
The Budget Bill Is Bad for West Virginia

Note: This guest publication was written by our partners at Families USA. The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” will terminate health coverage, drive up costs and cut care across the country — eliminating health coverage for nearly 16 million people and resulting in over 51,000 preventable deaths nationwide. If Congress charges ahead with either the…

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